There was a time in which self-published books were considered sub-standard, not good enough for the traditional publishing world. Today, there are many self-published authors, such as William Paul Young, "The Shack," M.J. Rose, "Lip Service" and Richard Paul Evans, "The Christmas Box." Publishing your book yourself is no longer considered vanity and can result in a successful writing career. Even better, it's very easy and affordable to publish and print your book.
Instructions
Publish and Print Your Own Book
1. Determine your goal for the book. Will it be a gift for family members or do you want to sell it on Amazon.com and in bookstores.
2. Write and edit your book. Consider hiring a professional editor or at the very least having someone else read your book for spelling and grammar errors. As the author of the book, you're more likely to miss these errors as you read and see what you intended, not what's actually on the page.
3. Design your cover. Some self-publishing services can create your cover for a fee. Or you can hire someone to create your book's cover.
4. Develop a marketing plan. Publishers and booksellers don't sell books. Authors do. Before printing your book, create a plan for how you're going to market it. Who is your book geared to? Who will read it? Where can they be found? How will you let them know about your book? Will you submit the book to a wholesaler for distribution? Will it be sold on Amazon.com or in bookstores? Is it going to be used as part of your business?
5. Research print options. There are many print-on-demand and self-publishing services.
To find the one that will fit your needs you need to know:
1. How many books you think you'll need to print
2. Will it need an ISBN and bar code (for sales in bookstores)?
3. Will it be soft or hard-bound, or will it need special binding?
4. What is size of the book in pages as well as dimensions.
5. Will it have graphics or charts?
The answers to these questions will have an impact on price.
6. Select a printer and submit your manuscript per the printer's guidelines.
7. Get a proof of the book before ordering a full run of copies. Check that the book looks professional, has no typos or other errors, and that all pages are included.
8. Order a print run and distribute your books. Because the book industry is fickle, order a small run at first. Once you start getting sales and have a sense of the best ways to sell the book you can order more.
